The Design Diva Blog

Established in 1983, MacKenzie-Childs combines vibrant colors and patterns to create a whimsical collection of tableware, furniture, and decorative accessories that epitomize "tradition with a twist." The company's designers draw inspiration from the pastoral setting of their studios, located on a 65-acre former dairy farm in Aurora, New York.

Chicken Palace Jewelry Armoire

Right outside their windows, their very own Chicken Palace provides the inspiration for the spectacular Chicken Palace Jewelry Armoire. Add imagination and the result is uniquely MacKenzie-Childs: crackle finish and mirror mosaics; floral decals; hand-painted checks, stripes, and faux marbling; handmade ceramic finials, feet, and rabbit drawer pulls; and a sweet blue bird perched on the rooftop.

Kaleidoscope Wing Chair & Kaleidoscope Footstool

A Broadway melody of magic, wit, and candy-striped enchantment; furniture so deliriously offbeat, it is welcome anywhere. The Kaleidoscope Wing Chair features a vivid fuchsia seat back with a fabulous floral design, surrounded by zigzags, stripes, and Bittersweet Checks.

Rabbit Tassels - Argyle, Courtly Check & Parchment Check

The adorable Courtly Check Rabbit Tassel is made of handcrafted, hand-painted ceramic with passementerie tassels and trims. Use to decorate doorknobs, finials or curtains, or as a stylish ceiling fan pull.

Wall Street Setting Seat & Courtly Check Pedestal Table Base

Dashing and debonair, this handcrafted seat and pedestal table are all decked out in MacKenzie-Childs signature stripe and check patterns.

Poppy & Tulip Shades

Can’t get enough MacKenzie-Childs? Add more, on a lamp that needs a little something extra. Garden-fresh Poppy and Tulip Shades are a quick swap for a bit more pizazz.

Courtly Check Teapot, Teacup, Saucer & Plates

This chubby old-fashioned teapot crafted of clay and hand-painted with the iconic, bold Courtly Check pattern is a charmer. A beautiful juxtaposition of ivory and onyx, the deceptively simple signature checks reveal an intricate spectrum of jewel-toned colors. Handmade, fired, glazed, fired again, hand-painted, fired again, and embellished with luster, each piece is stamped by the artisans involved in its creation.

The vintage-style dress form of the Dressmaker’s Floor Lamp is meticulously outfitted from head to toe with handcrafted details: a translucent wire-form lampshade; terra cotta and mirror shards; gold-tone passementerie necklace with beads, chains, and charms; hand-painted landscape mural and Courtly Checks; floral decals; brass nailhead trim and dotted glass-bead fringe; and stainless steel skirt form with Argentina tassels. Sturdy base is brass, and a songbird on a Cheltenham ball crowns the shade.

The Peacock Large Chest features a Peacock design, copper leaf, Courtly Stripes, and a speckled finish inside the drawers. Amber glass knobs with two layers of ruched ribbon and brass filigree are like jewelry-the perfect accessory. The front features an irresistible color-dragged harlequin pattern with asparagus green, blues, plums, and chocolate tones, and is topped with green Cheltenham faux marbling.

Roost Compote & Odd Fellows Taylor Small Serving Bowl

Inspired by the feathered residents of the farm's Chicken Palace, the Roost Collection is handcrafted majolica, hand decorated in Aurora. Each piece is stamped by the artisans who had a hand in its creation.

With colored accents and lustrous details, the handcrafted Aerial Candlesticks elegantly evoke an exotic locale. MacKenzie-Childs designers work closely with an artisanal studio in Giza, Egypt, where this intricate glass-forming technique has been perfected. The artisans start with hollow glass rods that are flame-heated, and—once the glass is malleable—are mouth-blown, twisted, and manipulated to produce each delicately detailed shape. Frills on the stems are bits of glass that are melted on and crimped with a tool while still hot. To create the raised lines on the stemware bowls and the candle cups, glass rods are melted and dripped onto the blown glass bowls.

The delicate floral design, matching the one you know from our Aurora Enamelware, is inspired by antique traditional patterns from Stoke-on-Trent, home of the English pottery industry. With their long, leggy stems and significant weight, they bring notable stature to your table, adding instant sophistication and opulence. Beyond impressive for formal entertaining. Mouth-blown Eastern European glass with hand-painted Courtly Checks, Courtly Stripes, and soft gold and colored lustres, as well as hand-applied decals.